Gate-latch.



M. I. JACKSON;

GATE LATUH.

PATENTED MAY 22, 1906.

APPLIUATION FILED 1330.5. 1904.

Witnesses MILES I. JACKSON, OF KENTLAND, INDIANA.

GATE-LATCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 22, 1906.

Application filed December 5,1904. Serial No. 235,580.

To ctZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, Mines 1. JACKSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kentland, in the county of Newton and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Gate-Latch, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to gate-latches, and has for its object to improve the construction and increase the efiiciency and provide a simply-constructed and easily applied and adjusted device, which may be readily applied to any of the various forms and structures of doubly-swinging gates and operative from either side.

With these and other objects in view, which will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in certain novel features of construction, as hereinafter fully described and claimed.

. In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which corresponding parts are. denoted by like designatingcharacters, is illustrated the preferred form of the embodiment of the invention capable of carrying the same into practical operation, it being understood that the invention is not necessarily limited thereto, as various changes in the shape,'proportions, and general assemblage of the parts may be resorted to without departing from the principle of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view of the improved device viewed from the front with the keeper member or stud which is attached to the gate in section therein. Fig. 2 is a side view of a portion of the fence-post and of the gate-post at the swinging end with the improved latch mechanism applied. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a front view of the base-plate detached. Fig. 5 is a side view of the baseplate. Fig. 6 is a view of a portion of the gate-post from the inside, illustrating the construction of one of the adjustable keeperstud plates.

The improved device comprises a baseplate 10, having means, such as bolts or screws 11, for attachment to the inner face of the fence-post, past which the free end of the ate swings, as indicated at 12. Extending from the plate 10 are spaced studs 13 14, upon which latch members or levers 15 16 are pivoted, the lower ends 17 18 of the latches resting normally upon a stop-rib 1.9,

extending from the plate 10 and formed with downwardly-inclined ends. A spring 20 is connected between the upper ends of the latch members and acts to maintain the lower ends of the same yieldably in engagement with the stop-rib. Near the upper end of the plate 10 are spaced transverse ribs 21 22, forming a guideway, in which a bar 23 is slidably disposed, the ends of the bar bearing against the upper ends of the latch members and extending over the same and provided with projecting knobs or finger-studs 24 25. A keeper 26 is secured. outside the latch members and the bar 28, as by nuts 27, to retain them in operative position.

Attached to opposite sides of the gate-post at the swinging end, a portion of which is shown at 28, are two plates 29 30, having spaced apertures through one opposite pair of which a threaded stop bolt or keeper 31 is passed and held in position adjustably by nuts 32 33, bearing against the plates 29 30. The free end 34 of the bolt projects far enough topass over the stop-rib 19 and displace the latch-bar ends 17 or 18, as the case may be and be' automatically positioned between them when. the gate is closed, as indicated in Fig. 1. By this simple arrangement the gate will be automatically latched when closed from either direction and can be readily releasedv by drawing with the fingers or thumb upon one of knobs 24 or 25, according as to which direction it is desired to open the gate, the moving of the bar 23, it will be obvious, displacing either one of the latches, as required.

The keeper bar or rod 31 34 may be adjusted longitudinally by the nuts 32 33 to cause it to enga e the rib 19 and latch ends 7 18 and may also be adjusted vertically by setting it through either one of the apertures in the plates 29 30. By this means the keeper-bar may be adjusted to maintain it in proper position and compensate for any ine qualities between the posts 12 and 28, as will be obvious.

The parts are simple in construction, and the device may be inexpensively manufactured and readily applied to any of the vari ous forms of gates manufactured without structural changes in either the device or the fence or gate.

Having fully described the invention, what is claimed is r 1. A gate-latch comprising a pair of pivoted spr1ng-actuated latch members for attachment to a gate-post, a sliding bar mounted for longitudinal movement between said latch members, and a keeper for attachment to a gate and adapted'to be positioned between said latch members when the gate is closed.

2. A gate-latch comprising a pair of pivoted latch members for attachment to a gatepost, a spring connecting said members, a sliding b'ar mounted for longitudinal movement between the latch members, and a keeper for attachment to a gate and adapted to be positioned between the free ends of the latch members when the gate is closed.

3. A gate-latch comprising a pair of oppositely-disposed latch members for attachment to a gate-post, and pivotally supported on the latter at points intermediate their ends, a spring connecting said members, a sliding bar mounted for longitudinal movement between said members and having its opposite ends overlapping the adjacent portions of the latch members and provided with finger-pieces, and a keeper for attachment to a gate and adapted to be positioned between the free ends of said latch members when the gate is closed.

4. A gate-latch comprising a pair of oppositely-disposed pivoted latch members for at tachment to a gatepost, a spring connecting said members, a sliding bar mounted for longitudinal movement between the latch members, and a keeper for attachment to a gate and consisting of an adjustable bar, the opposite ends of which extend beyond the general lane of the gate for engagement with the atch members when the gate is closed.

5. A gate-latch comprising a pair of pivoted latch members for attachment to a gatepost andhaving their upper ends connected by a coiled spring, a sliding bar mounted for longitudinal movement between said members and provided with finger-pieces, a thread ed rod for attachment to the free end of a gate and adapted to be positioned between the free ends of the pivoted latch members when the gate is closed, and clamping-nuts engaging the threaded rod on each side of said gate.

6. A gate latch comprising a supportingplate for attachment to a gate-post and provided with transversely-disposed guidingribs, latch members pivoted to said plate and connected by a spring, a bar slidably mounted between said guiding-ribs and adapted to engage the connected ends of the latch members, and a keeper for attachment to a gate and adapted to be positioned between the free ends'of said latch members when the gate is closed.

7. A gate-latch comprising a supportingplate for attachment to a gatepost and provided with a laterally-projecting rib having its opposite ends inclined or beveled, latch members pivoted to said plate at points intermediate their ends and connected by a spring, a sliding bar mounted for longitudinal movement between the connected ends of the latch members, and a keeper for attachment to a gate and adapted to be positioned between the free ends of said latch members when the gate is closed.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

MILES 1. JACKSON.

Witnesses:

DONALD COMPARET, LOUIsE D. Ross. 

